Bibliotherapy

Van Gogh found comfort only in his art and the women who constantly denied his passion. Edgar Allen Poe was "different" to say the least, consumed by the morose. Just like these great men, Frankenstein's monster does not conform to the societal model. Also like these men, the monster is uniquely superior to the rest of mankind. Unfortunately, his superiority is seen through his guile to live in a society that out raises his kind. Through the reading of books he developed his attitude toward the world. .
             Frankenstein's monster learns to live in a society that despises his kind. The monster must kill, but this is only in response to the people's abhorrence of him. Ironically, the very man who bore him now searches the globe seeking the creature's destruction. The monster journeys all over the world to hide from society. He ventures to the harshest most desolate, most uninhabitable place known, the North Pole knowing that Frankenstein will follow. Frankenstein does pursue his creation in hopes of pushing it to the edge of the world trusting that the monster would fall off. At the same time, the monster leads Frankenstein to the solitude of the icy glaciers in hopes of better explaining to Frankenstein how he exists in society. The monster lives this way until his father's death, where they join in the perpetual silent acceptance of death. Frankenstein's creation makes only a few attempts to become one with society and almost gives up until he is accepted by the captain. As the captain listens to the monster's story he begins to understand the monster's plight. He accepts the monster as a reluctant, yet devoted servant to his master. Although the monster does not "belong", he is accepted with admiration by the captain. The respect that he has longed for is finally given to him as he announces his suicide in the name of his father, the late Victor Frankenstein. The more society alienates Frankenstein's monster, the more the creature comes to realize the invalidity of "social heroism".